Landon Powell on release by A’s: ‘It’s something I knew was coming’

The man who caught Dallas Braden’s perfect game is looking for work. Landon Powell was released by the A’s today and said he wasn’t surprised.

“It’s something I knew was coming,” Powell said as he packed his belongings in the A’s clubhouse at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. “It’s not like I was completely shocked or anything. They tendered me a contract in the offseason and ended up making a trade for a catcher (Derek Norris from the Nationals in the Gio Gonzalez deal), which lessened the need for me. at which point they took me off the roster. When I cleared waivers, I knew they weren’t going to pay me $625,000 to play in Triple-A.

“They were either going to give me a chance to make the team in camp – which I thought they were going to — or they were going to do this. Obviously, here we are, seven days into the games, and they’re releasing me.

“Essentially, they didn’t give me a chance to make the team. They gave me a chance to go somewhere else. I respect that, doing it early enough for me to go somewhere else. But I’ve been with the A’s since ’04, so it’s bittersweet to leave the only organization I’ve ever been with and a team I feel I was good enough to be on. It’s hard to process all of it. I’m sure I will in the next couple of days.”

The likely backup is Anthony Recker, who hit .287 with 16 homers and 48 RBIs in 99 games for Triple-A Sacramento last year.

Powell hit .171 in just 36 games last year (30 as the starting catcher) as workhorse Kurt Suzuki’s backup. He’s a solid defensive catcher, and pitchers love him. The A’s were 18-12 in his starts.

“The coaching staff and pitching staff all respected me and liked me as a catcher, and I can hang my hat on that,” Powell said. “Definitely, some people have my back.”

Powell said he’ll remain in Arizona for now in case he’s picked up by one of the other 15 teams training here.